scrubbedexpat141

So I'm no long term expat like some of you but have blissfully ignored / forgotten some of the things I like and loathe about the UK. Xmas trip was first back for 12 months and this is what I noticed:

People drive slowly.
Traffic (2.5 hours from Southampton to Oxford for no reason).
Smoking outside (Quite like it, smoked way less).
Rain.
Pikey/Chav/Scumbag types - Everywhere.
Cheap pints.
Proper Ale / Beer.
Proper pub grub...they put actual bacon in stuff and it's no biggie.
Carpet in Mum's bathroom (Millhouse).
Petrol - 139.9p
German Market in the centre of Southampton, drinking in the street.
25mins in West Quay requires a mortgage for parking.
Change get's put in your hand.
Old tricks - I can still get any cabbie in Salisbury to drop me home for a tenner.
Old people everywhere
Tramps
Cold water for brushing teeth
Everywhere inside has the heating turned up so it's hotter than the sun requiring an explanation that unless it's A/C'd, I'm going to be hot.
EVERYONE is having ****ing babies.
"Yeah, you can drink in Dubai" - That conversation. Repeated.
"Yeah, was 20 degrees when I was flying home" - That conversation. Repeated.
Sister lives on the 4th floor, no lift.

There were loads of things that I noticed that made me chuckle. A lot of it is stating the obvious but I just never think about it anymore.

Still, a good trip home, liver needs a break.

Millhouse

Scamp, are the wannabie-tough kids still wearing Onesies on the streets at night? I bloody loved seeing that when I was back home.

scrubbedexpat141

I didn't see any of that. It was mainly just scumbags barging around West Quay that annoyed me and out at night it seemed everyone is lairy and looking for a punch up.

Still, I managed to notice all this stuff whilst still chuckling that you can miss the bowl and not have to wipe it away with the bottom of your sock.

Millhouse

It is marvelous. Does your mum also have the side of the bath carpeted too? Adds that little bit of je ne sais quoi.

scrubbedexpat141

No, that is a plastic / wood panel thing...not sure I've ever seen a carpeted bath panel...that sounds so special.

lanarkwitch

Mumsy bear had a bathroom years ago, not only was the carpet a vile dark green colour to match the avocado bathroom suite the side panel was carpet, as was the 3 shelf unit that had been built in at the end of the bath, it reminds me now of some of the trucks you see here now with the fitted carpet dashboards

Blue Cat

The slow driving is a good thing but it takes a while to get your head around it, to me the last time I was in the UK all the cars looked tiny

scrubbedexpat141

Very true.

That British joke thing that was posted the other week is very true as well - we sat and hesitated at a mini roundabout for what seemed an eternity.

Blue Cat

I thought my Mother was taking the piss driving so slowly when we went to Asda, it wasn't even worth her getting out of third gear.

scrubbedexpat141

ASDA? Eurgh.

I took my sister's car to the shops one morning, car park full so just abandoned it Dubai style with hazards on. Came out to a bloke going mental. Classic.

auzdafluff

I'm not letting myself drive for that very reason. I know that I'd be tempted to drive like I do over here.

lanarkwitch

Did you forget to leave a note with your mobile no on it?

UKCityGent

Looks like a babygrow !

Wonder if he has a nappy on ?

scrubbedexpat141

Nah sod that, just point and stop, hazards on, straight to shop.

Bloke was moaning because he had to drive around the car, that was all, I'm not a complete bastard.

Meow

The cars seem small, but don't most roads seem narrow too? Not to mention the houses. I always find that people look so miserable and are mostly dressed in grey to match their mood.

I really miss very little about the UK.